What's causing my tongue spasm?

[Speedy1996]

While sleeping on my back, my tongue felt like it was in a spasm and awakened me cause I had difficulty breathing. When I awakened I had to make a mental effort to stop the twitching so I could move my tongue. What could be the cause? I'm 65 years old, have hypothyroidism and severe allergies.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Your symptoms could be due to obstructive sleep apnea, wherein during sleep there is an obstruction to air flow due to laxity of the throat muscles and the tongue falls back, during sleep and this could cause restlessness. Hence for therapy CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is used to keep it patent. But it could also be due to an entity called TIA or transient ischemic attack, which as the name indicates there is a temporary lack of blood flow to a particular part of the brain. This usually recovers, but these people are more prone for strokes. So, please have yourself evaluated.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[tschock]

It could be related to one or both or your problems. It could also be something with your back.
Regardless, you should see your doctor as soon as possible to determine the cause.